5 Ways to Cook with Honey

Reader’s Digest CanadaJanuary 21, 2011

Learn how to prepare some of the most delicious meals using one key ingredient: sweet honey.

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Photo: Thinkstock

Honey Balsamic Salmon Fillets

Using honey with oily fish such as salmon is not only delicious, it is also a great nutritional combination. The omega fish oils combine with the vitamins and minerals in honey to make a heart-healthy and tasty supper dish.

Wipe the salmon with absorbent paper and place in a shallow dish, skin side down. Whisk the honey with the balsamic vinegar and sugar, and spoon over the fish. Heat the groundnut oil in a large non-stick frying pan (skillet) over a high heat. When the oil is hot, add the fish, skin side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crisp and the salmon is nearly cooked through. Pre-heat the grill (broiler) to high. Spoon any remaining honey mixture over the salmon and place the pan under the grill for 2 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Serve the salmon with the onions (scallions) sprinkled over.

Baklava

A Middle Eastern ‘sweetmeat’ or confectionary from the time of the Ottoman Sultans, baklava is popular all over the eastern Mediterranean, in particular in Greece and Turkey. It is delicious made with Greek flower honey but any floral, fragrant honey would be suitable. The baklava will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature.

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC / 350ºF/ gas mark. Brush a 17 x 28 cm (7 x 11 inch) baking tray (pan) with a little of the melted butter. Line the tray with a sheet of filo pastry (phyllo dough) and brush it with melted butter. Top with another sheet of pastry (dough) and butter, and repeat, alternating pastry (dough) and butter until you have used 10 sheets of pastry (dough).

In a small bowl mix the pistachios and walnuts with the caster sugar, honey, cardamom and cloves, and stir well together. Spoon the nuts over the pastry (dough) and spread out evenly. Top the nuts with another piece of pastry (dough) and brush with butter, and continue until all the pastry (dough) is used up. Brush the remaining butter over the top and then using a small, sharp knife cut halfway through the layers in a criss-cross pattern.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the heat down to 150ºC/300ºF/gas mark 2 and bake for a further 35-40 minutes until golden on top.

Remove from the oven and, using a sharp knife, cut right through to the bottom of the tin. While the baklava is still hot, pour over the chilled syrup and then leave to cool completely. Sprinkle a few chopped pistachios on top before serving.

Honey Mint Julep

A delicious cooling cocktail from the American South, mint julep is traditionally served over crushed ice and made with sugar syrup; honey syrup is a lovely alternative. This will make more syrup than you need for two drinks but is very useful for other cocktails too. Keep in the fridge in a screw-top jar for up to a week.

Directions In a heatproof jug stir the honey into the boiled water until the honey has dissolved and you have a syrup. Strip the mint leaves from 4 of the sprigs. Crush them slightly into the syrup. Leave until completely cold. Strain into a large jug. For each julep fill a glass with crushed ice and pour over 25 ml (1 fl oz / 2 tbsp.) bourbon and 2 tbsp. mint / honey syrup. Top up with soda and decorate each with a mint sprig.